Data quality programs need to be 'comprehensive'

A recent TechTarget report on the state of data quality efforts found that companies' interest in using data in real time has changed and accelerated the idea of data quality management programs. The source urged companies to collaborate internally to manage risks and make sure that information remains in order.

"More and more businesses need to invest resources for quality, useful information," Gartner analyst Lyn Robison told the source. "A business that can't produce useful information is like an airplane that can't fly. How useful is that? Not very."

Consultant William McKnight told TechTarget that one of the problems with data quality is the fact that the processes must be carried out by business users rather than the IT department. As business sections already have their own considerable responsibilities, the addition of data management issues could overburden employees. McKnight encouraged firms to invite business users to help with data quality standards, adding their own perspective.

The new age of real-time data management often involves big data and unstructured data. Luckily, this information is stored in a way that will help, not hurt, companies' efforts to enforce quality. IT Business Edge reported that the open source tools used to store and manage big data promote visibility and transparency.